Norway’s Nikolai Haram Svorte won the 2026 ASI Best Sommelier of the World competition, taking the title on his first attempt. France’s Pascaline Lepeltier placed second, while Japan’s Wataru Iwata came third. The final took place in Lisbon on 16 October before a live audience at the historic Coliseu dos Recreios. Of the 66 sommeliers… Read More »
Global wine-auction sales reached $159.21 million in the second quarter of 2026, down 21% year on year but well above the same period in 2023 and 2024. Auction houses reported a market showing signs of recovery, though buyers remained selective. Strong vintages, excellent condition and clear provenance mattered: exceptional wines sold well, while weaker examples… Read More »
Global wine-auction sales reached $159.21 million in the second quarter of 2026, down 21% year on year but well above the same period in 2023 and 2024. Auction houses reported a market showing signs of recovery, though buyers remained selective. Strong vintages, excellent condition and clear provenance mattered: exceptional wines sold well, while weaker examples… Read More »
Napa Valley’s wine-growing history dates back to the 19th century. Today, the California region is known for celebrated wineries, restaurants and scenic vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon is one of Napa’s signature grapes, with the variety expressing different characteristics across the region’s 17 sub-appellations, or American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). But Napa produces much more than Cabernet: both… Read More »
Santuvario is a small natural wine producer based in Borgomanero, in Alto Piemonte, at the foot of the Alps. The local Boca wine region has contracted dramatically: where vineyards once covered around 1,000 hectares, only about 10 remain. Ivano Barbaglia and Paola Fornara began making wine under the Santuvario name in 2012. Their vineyards sit… Read More »
Chicago-based wine educator Christy Fuhrman and Canary Islands winemaker Loreto Pancorbo have received the 2026 Barca-Velha Golden Vines Master of Wine Scholarships. Each will receive £35,000 to support their MW studies and visit SOGRAPE wineries and vineyards in Portugal. The scholarships are run by the Gérard Basset Foundation. This year, the selection panel chose the… Read More »
Oltrepò Pavese, in Lombardy in northwest Italy, is a hilly wine region bordering Piemonte, Liguria and Emilia-Romagna. Although it also produces still wines, the focus of a recent tasting was Classese: traditional-method sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir. Classese production is growing quickly. The region currently produces around 800,000 bottles, up from 400,000 two years… Read More »
Hazendal is a historic wine estate in Stellenbosch’s Bottelary Hills, now entering a new chapter. First established in 1699 as a wheat and livestock farm supplying the Dutch East India Company, it began planting vines in the 18th century, including Muscat and Groendruif, an early name for Semillon. In 2016, the estate removed and replanted… Read More »
London’s best restaurant wine lists are not necessarily the thickest or most formal. These eight venues stand out for thoughtful selections, fair prices, regional character and warm, personal service—often with lists chosen by the people who own and run the restaurants. Blandford Comptoir Owned by Master Sommeliers Gearoid Devaney and Xavier Rousset, Blandford Comptoir is… Read More »
At the 2026 edition of Simplesmente Vinho, Galicia was the guest region, represented by nine visiting producers. A seminar hosted by Miguel Anxo Besada of restaurant A Curva and Antonio Portela explored wines from across the region’s five appellations: Ribeiro, Rías Baixas, Ribeira Sacra, Valdeorras and Monterrei. The tasting highlighted both Galicia’s diversity and the… Read More »